Exodus 28 · Verse 15

Exodus 28:15

And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.

Exodus 28:15, King James Version

Exodus 28:15 in other translations

BSB	You are also to make a breastpiece of judgment with the same workmanship as the ephod. Construct it with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.
WEB	“You shall make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, you shall make it.
ASV	And thou shalt make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skilful workman; like the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.
YLT	‘And thou hast made a breastplate of judgment, work of a designer; according to the work of the ephod thou dost make it; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen thou dost make it;
DARBY	And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment of artistic work, like the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined byssus shalt thou make it.
BBE	And make a priest's bag for giving decisions, designed like the ephod, made of gold and blue and purple and red and the best linen.
Webster	And thou shalt make the breast-plate of judgment with curious work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen shalt thou make it.

What does Exodus 28:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 28:15-29

15-29. thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work--a very splendid and richly embroidered piece of brocade, a span square, and doubled, to enable it the better to bear the weight of the precious stones in it. There were twelve different stones, containing each the name of a tribe, and arranged in four rows, three in each. The Israelites had acquired a knowledge of the lapidary's art in Egypt, and the amount of their skill in cutting, polishing, and setting precious stones, may be judged of by the diamond forming one of the engraved ornaments on this breastplate. A ring was attached to each corner, through which the golden chains were passed to fasten this brilliant piece of jewelry at the top and bottom tightly on the breast of the ephod.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 15 The breastplate of judgment - חשן משפט choshen mishpat, the same as the חשן choshen, see Exo 25:7, but here called the breastplate of judgment, because the high priest wore it upon his breast when he went to ask counsel of the Lord, to give judgment in any particular case; as also when he sat as judge to teach the law, and to determine controversies. See Lev 10:11; Deu 17:8, Deu 17:9.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 28:15-30

The chief ornament of the high priest, was the breastplate, a rich piece of cloth, curiously worked. The name of each tribe was graven in a precious stone, fixed in the breastplate, to signify how precious, in God's sight, believers are, and how honourable. How small and poor soever the tribe was, it was as a precious stone in the breastplate of the high priest; thus are all the saints dear to Christ, however men esteem them. The high priest had the names of the tribes, both on his shoulders and on his breast, which reminds us of the power and the love with which our Lord Jesus pleads for those that are his. He not only bears them up in his arms with almighty strength, but he carries them in his bosom with tender affection. What comfort is this to us in all our addresses to God! The Urim and Thummim, by which the will of God was made known in doubtful cases, were put in this breastplate. Urim and Thummim signify light and integrity. There are many conjectures what these were; the most probable opinion seems to be, that they were the twelve precious stones in the high priest's breastplate. Now, Christ is our Oracle. By him God, in these last days, makes known himself and his mind to us, He 1:1, 2; Joh 1:18. He is the true Light, the faithful Witness, the Truth itself, and from him we receive the Spirit of Truth, who leads into all truth.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Exodus 28:15 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְעָשִׂ֜יתָve.'a.Si.taand you will makeH6213

חֹ֤שֶׁןCho.shena breastpiece ofH2833

מִשְׁפָּט֙mish.PatjudgmentH4941

מַעֲשֵׂ֣הma.'a.Seh[the] work ofH4639

חֹשֵׁ֔בcho.Sheva skillful workerH2803

כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥הke.ma.'a.Sehlike [the] work ofH4639

אֵפֹ֖ד'e.Fod[the] ephodH646

תַּעֲשֶׂ֑נּוּta.'a.Se.nuyou will make itH6213

זָ֠הָבza.hogoldH2091

תְּכֵ֨לֶתte.Khe.letviolet stuffH8504

וְאַרְגָּמָ֜ןve.'ar.ga.Manand purpleH713

וְתוֹלַ֧עַתve.to.La.'atand scarlet stuff ofH8438

שָׁנִ֛יsha.NiscarletH8144

וְשֵׁ֥שׁve.Sheshand fine linenH8336

מָשְׁזָ֖רma.she.ZartwistedH7806

תַּעֲשֶׂ֥הta.'a.Sehyou will makeH6213

אֹתֽוֹ\׃'o.To<obj.> itH853

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 28:15

Exodus 39:8-21
And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled. And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row. And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. …
Exodus 28:30
And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the Lord: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually.
Leviticus 8:8
And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim.
Exodus 28:4
And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
Exodus 28:6
And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.
Exodus 26:1
Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the breastplate.
4,30; 39:8; Le 8:8
after.
6; 26:1

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Exodus 28:14
And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches.
Exodus 28:15
And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.
Exodus 28:16
Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.

Read all of Exodus 28

Exodus 28:15 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Harás asimismo el racional del juicio de primorosa obra, le has de hacer conforme á la obra del ephod, de oro, y cárdeno, y púrpura, y carmesí, y lino torcido.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et tu feras le pectoral de jugement; tu le feras en ouvrage d’art, comme l’ouvrage de l’éphod; tu le feras d’or, de bleu, et de pourpre, et d’écarlate, et de fin coton retors.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und mache das Brustschild des Gerichts in Kunstweberarbeit; gleich der Arbeit des Ephods sollst du es machen: von Gold, blauem und rotem Purpur und Karmesin und gezwirntem Byssus sollst du es machen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Rationale quoque judicii facies opere polymito juxta texturam superhumeralis, ex auro, hyacintho, et purpura, coccoque bis tincto, et bysso retorta.